What is the situation on the ground in Gaza?
On March 18, 2025, Israel launched a series of deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, indiscriminately killing over 2,200 Palestinians and wounding 5,700 others. This comes after months of attacks against Palestinians and a blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, even after the “ceasefire” began on January 19, 2025.
As of May 1, 2025, over 61,700 Palestinians have been killed, 117,729 injured, and 1.9 million displaced in the Gaza Strip. Hospitals and shelters remain a target amidst Israel’s ongoing blockade, further exacerbating malnutrition and poor health.
Islamic Relief teams are actively assessing the situation on the ground and scaling up efforts to address urgent needs, including medical support, emergency food, and clean water.
What are the urgent needs in Gaza at the moment?
Based on our assessments, the most urgent needs in Gaza are:
- Access to clean drinking water
- Food assistance for displaced families
- Psychosocial support, especially for children who have endured significant trauma
- Temporary shelter for those whose homes has been destroyed
- Medical care for the injured and vulnerable populations
How much money has Islamic Relief spent in Gaza?
As a global family, Islamic Relief has been able to send $42M CAD into Gaza since the escalations began in October 2023. The money is transferred to our implementing partner Islamic Relief Worldwide in the United Kingdom, which is then transferred to Islamic Relief staff in Gaza through local partners.
Our staff in Gaza are using your donations to locally procure food, hygiene supplies, bedding, and any other essential item we can source. They screen and contract local suppliers and partners, who procure either locally or through private trading routes between Gaza and Egypt. With the level of our procurement, donations are routed through wire transfers to their Palestinian bank accounts.
What areas is Islamic Relief working in?
Islamic Relief is presently active in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, Gaza City and North Gaza. We have recently extended our work in North Gaza to reach Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahya, and Jabaliya.
Our emergency response efforts are being conducted in collaboration with the World Food Program and 6 local partners: some who are distributing humanitarian aid in North Gaza. Each partner is assigned Islamic Relief staff to oversee project implementation.
What are Islamic Relief’s long-term plans for Gaza?
Humanitarian needs remain urgent, with hundreds of thousands displaced in tents and in critical condition. For this reason, our ongoing work on the ground is focused on emergency relief, including the distribution of hot meals and hygiene items, as well as providing access to clean water and medical aid.
We are committed to supporting our Palestinian brothers and sisters to rebuild in a sustainable manner. Our long-term development plan includes:
- Repair: We are looking to repair and rehabilitate vital infrastructure including community centres, homes, schools, and hospitals.
- Shelter: Providing families with transitional shelters while their homes are rebuilt, as well as kitchen sets and solar powered energy systems.
- Livelihood: Creating paid employment opportunities for skilled and non-skilled workers who have lost their livelihoods – including hiring labourers to help remove rubble and employing Gazans in the health and agriculture sectors.
- Education: Supporting children to kickstart their education by providing educational kits and school bags, as well as providing schools with furniture and equipment.
- Medical: Strengthening healthcare systems by providing medical supplies and other support to improve the quality and accessibility of medical services, especially for women, children, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
I have family in Gaza, why can't you help them?
We understand the desire to direct aid to specific individuals, however, to maintain equal access, we are unable to fulfill such requests. We consistently work to diversify our distribution points, ensuring that aid reaches as many people as possible.
It is important to note that no person will be denied aid at our distributions; however, our commitment to equity drives us to prioritize equal access for all. Our focus remains on supporting shelters to the best of our ability and providing assistance through our local partners.
